The course features interactive lecture and discussions of actual case histories, videos, and laws specific to homicide investigations. This comprehensive seminar provides instruction in conducting investigations and prosecuting death cases from the start of the investigation through evidence collection, suspect interviews, press conferences, trial testimony and ultimately conviction. It is purposely designed to provide expert “in-the-field” instruction from the initial crime scene through a successful verdict. Learn state of the art techniques from the ex-Commander of a Major Crimes Task Force, a highly experienced Prosecutor and a leading Cyber Crimes Investigator.

Using actual investigations, this program uses a diverse combination of homicide case studies to provide strategic tactics to establish guilt and prosecute the offenders. Participants work through cases from the moment of arrival until their conclusion. This program provides the structure and methods to successfully close cases.

SEMINAR TOPICS INCLUDE:

· Multiple Methods of Interviewing

· Manage & Evaluate the Crime Scene

· Development of COLD CASE Leads

· Miranda + Electronic Readings

· Collecting & Viewing Digital Evidence

· 4th Amendment–Search & Seizure

· 5th Amendment–Evidence, GSR

· Effective Courtroom Testimony

· Death Notifications

· Investigative Tactics

· Criminal Interview & Interrogation

· Cell Phone & Computer Analysis

· Handling the News Media

· TASK FORCE Operations

· Report Writing

· False Confessions

Instructor

Lou Tessmann, CFI

Lou Tessmann, CFI® retired as Deputy Chief for the Waukegan (Illinois) Police Department in 2005 after 23 years of service in a wide variety of experiences including patrol, investigations, training and ultimately Deputy Chief of Police.

Lou is a 26-year veteran of the U.S. Marines, retiring as a CWO-4. In addition to his service in Vietnam he was activated for Desert Storm and Desert Shield and has received numerous military awards including the Naval Commendation Medal. Lou began his career as a police officer with the City of Waukegan, Illinois assigned to the patrol division. He was later assigned to the detective bureau for nine years and as a juvenile officer for one year. Lou also served as the Commander of the elite Lake County Major Crime Task Force. The task force works on major criminal investigations relating to homicides, kidnappings, and police-involved shootings. During his career, he has conducted thousands of interviews and interrogations. Most noteworthy, Lou has obtained over 80 homicide confessions during his career with only three instances where he was unable to obtain a confession from the homicide suspect.

Lou delivered Wicklander-Zulawski & Associates, Inc. (WZ) seminars since 1997 to police and private security organizations throughout the country, as well as internationally in locations such as Tokyo, Japan. He has been a guest speaker on programs such as the Discovery Channel, Real Detective and America’s Most Wanted. Lou’s work was recently featured in a Dateline NBC story about convicted child molester Arthur Ream and the unsolved 22-year old murder case of a 13-year old girl in Eastpointe, Michigan. Lou and Wicklander-Zulawski interviewers assisted local law enforcement with the non-confrontational interrogation of the suspect. Their joint efforts resulted in a first-degree murder conviction, a mandatory life sentence without the possibility of parole, and the subsequent recovery of the victim's body.

In addition to his TV appearances, Lou has been a guest speaker for the Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis, Missouri State Police Annual Homicide Symposium and ILEETA Conference.

Lou graduated from Northeastern Illinois University with a B.A. degree in English and Physical Education and is a Certified Forensic Interviewer (CFIâ). To qualify for this distinction, a person must pass a standardized examination, which covers a series of topics regarding the interviewing and interrogation process. The CFIâ demonstrates understanding of legal aspects of interviewing and proficiency in interview preparation, behavioral, analysis, accusatory and non-accusatory interviewing, documentation, and presentation of findings. The objective of this certification program is to create comprehensive, universally accepted professional standards combined with an objective measure of an interviewer’s knowledge of those standards.

Lou is a member of numerous professional and training organizations including the International Law Enforcement Educators and Trainers Association (ILEETA), International Homicide Investigators Association, the International Narcotics Officers Association and an honorary member of the Western States Cattlemen's Investigators Association.

Carol Gudbrandsen

Carol Gudbrandsen, is an instructor with Wicklander-Zulawski & Associates, Inc. (WZ) and Cyber Crimes Analyst with the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office in their Cyber/White Collar Crimes Division. She has been with the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office since 2010. Carol has specialized training in digital evidence forensics of computers, mobile devices and computer networks. Carol has performed thousands of forensic examinations on various types of digital evidence and has been the forensic point of contact and resource in homicide cases investigated by the Lake County Major Crimes Task Force.

Carol’s forensic examination abilities have made her an integral part of criminal investigations including homicides, crimes against children, sexual assault/abuse, drug investigations, theft, burglary, and white collar crime cases. Carol’s forensic examinations on computers and mobile devices have been crucial to many criminal cases, due to her unique abilities in bypassing, or locating security barriers that otherwise would not have been discovered by traditional forensic methods.

Carol provides investigation and analysis services in the area of digital evidence forensics for all of the Lake County, Illinois police departments. She has also worked criminal forensic cases with Homeland Security, FBI, DEA, Illinois Attorney General’s Office, and the U.S. Marshals. Carol has actively participated in executing search warrants with local law enforcement agencies, Homeland Security, and the Illinois Attorney General’s Office. She has been qualified as an expert witness in the area of digital forensics for Lake County, Illinois criminal cases. Additionally, Carol provides support to law enforcement in the areas of search warrants, court orders, social media, and various forms of cybercrimes.

Carol trains law enforcement in the matters of technology, seizure of digital evidence, internet investigations, and transportation and chain of custody issues related to digital evidence. She conducts community presentations to schools, parents, staff, and professionals on cyber-related matters, including internet safety, cyberbullying, sexting, and identity theft.

Carol is a Magna Cum Laude graduate of Carthage College, and has 30+ years of experience in the areas of Information Technology and Accounting. She is a member of the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Forensic Task Force, International Association of Computer Investigative Specialists (IACIS), and High Technology Crime Investigation Association (HTCIA).

Jeff Pavletic

Jeffrey J. Pavletic is an award winning trial attorney who has built a reputation of integrity and exceptional skill in the courtroom who joined Wicklander-Zulawski & Associates, Inc. (WZ) in 2006. As a prosecutor over the past two decades, he has tried countless cases to victory (including approximately 150 jury trials with a concentration in homicide and violent crime). In addition to trying some of the most high profile and complex cases that have occurred in the history of Northern Illinois, Jeff was Chief of the Felony Review Division, and is currently the First Assistant State’s Attorney for the Lake County (Illinois) State’s Attorney’s Office.

Jeff served as Special Counsel to the U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee in the impeachment of President Clinton. His duties included all aspects of independent counsel review, the impeachment inquiry, presentation of articles of impeachment to the U.S. House of Representatives, all witness interviews and depositions of trial witnesses, and the actual impeachment trial before the United States Senate.

Jeff not only has developed a reputation for excellence in the courtroom, but he is also a published author and a well-respected instructor of law. He currently holds undergraduate and graduate faculty positions and has received accolades as a nationally renowned lecturer training thousands of police, lawyers, prosecutors, and judges.

He has received numerous federal, state and local awards. These include the Illinois State Crime Commission’s State’s Attorney of the Year, Felony Trial Attorney of the Year, The Fred L. Foreman Criminal Justice Award, The Ruth Rosengarden Victim Service provider Award, and special U.S. House of Representatives Award presented by Congressman Henry Hyde. Jeff has been featured on 20/20, The Today Show, Good Morning America, Court TV, and The Discovery Channel.